Draco's Saving Grace
by WillowRavenwood
Summary: This is written in Draco's POV. A Journal of sorts, about his wife, his life, his fall from what he thought was grace. Through it all he found true grace. Please let me know if you want me to continue it.


Hello, so I am trying something a little different this time. Hopefully you like it.

I sit here, in this candle lit room. My wife lay behind me, dead three hours. Oh how I wish to follow her, but I don't dare defy her. So instead I sit here, 87 years old, writing in a jounral she give 45 years ago. Oh, how she begged me to write in it everyday. She begged me to write it all down, before time, the reaper of souls, caused my memories to fog. Here I sit at 87 wishing I had listened to her. For now, my memories have turned hazy around the edges. Some just to foggy to remember entirely. So I write to fulfill her request, far to late, but at least I will finish the race before I pass through to the other side to join her.

This is my story. A long one indeed. I have no clue how may truely read it, or who would ever wish to read the rabblings of a grieving man, but still I want her to live on. Even if it is only in the pages on a book. I wish to live through the passage of time with her. Our lives to be a light in the dark. Hope when all hope is lost. That is what she was to me.

Though all this time, through all my moodiness, arrogance and even bigotry, she loved me, even feel in love with me. I promised her once that everyday I would give her a new reason to love me. I do not know if I succeeded in that quest, but I know she never left me.

So here I, Draco Malfoy, sit writing the story of my life. By no accounts will it always be sunshine and rainbows, but you can count it as always being honest. This is the story of how I, the arrogant, egotistical, ignorant, pompous, pampered bigot, fell from what I thought was Grace, only to find true, unconditional, neverwavering Grace.

When I was young, I was handed everything I wanted free of charge, I never truely understood why. Not until much later and it was far to late to change myself without a very good reason. I can see myself. Strikingly blonde hair, greased back like my favorite god father, Severus Snape. Dull grey eyes, that bore into nothing most of the time. A sneer of contempt on my face. Looking back now, I laugh at myself. I was the little boy ever mother wishes she could take a cane to, but she never got the chance.

I remember the moment I learned to ride a broom. My friend Blaise, had come over shining bright, boasting about his new broom and how his father had taught him to ride it. My father, never a man to be out done, bought me a broom and forced me everyday to ride the blasted thing. Ever after I broke my arm and was terrified of it. He made me learn and to pushed me far to hard to be the best.

I see my young self only 4 years old terrified, eyes wide hair wisked by the wide, and lips trembling. I had never been so afraid in my life. I had a broom far to large for me in my right hand. My father yelling in my face, telling my Malfoy rule number 1. Malfoy's are the best. Never did he stop to think about my fagile self confidance, or even the trust he was breaking. That was truely the first time I realized why people did anything to placate him. He was truly a ruthless man.

When I finally caught on to riding a broom it was on the the next thing and the next and again the next after that. Never once was I allowed to just roam free, live or even see as a child would. At least not when father was home. My mother was always my saving Grace then. She would take me in my room and show me fun little spells, sometimes when father was gone, my mother would change out of her long beautiful dresses into just plain muggle jeans and we would run through the manor and out laying grounds like mad people. If my father had every seen that I think he would have locked her away and never let me see her again.

Then there was my ever faithful whimsy, my house elf. My only true friend as a child, again my father would have killed her if ever he saw us playing together. In fact, he did. I think that is when I started changing into the shoe that fit only one foot, Lucius Malfoy's. After Whimsy I lost all my childhood inoccence, and was turned to the bigotry that he held in duch high esteem. That is when I true turned into his son, but never was I good enough. It still sometimes saddens me to know how truly vile I had become, just to please a man who would never be pleased.

When I received my letter, my father seemed more annoyed than anything else. My mother though, she took me for brand new robes and all of the things I could possibly want or need for the next year. When we returned home father brought me to his study. I knew going to his stury meant a rather long talk about how Malfoy's behave, or the like. I assumed that would be all it would be. Merlin was I ever wrong.

Somewhere along the way, father turned into a corridor I had never seen before. It was dark and dank. Almost as though it were a cave in the woods. To say my heart was beating wildly would be a terrific understatement. I honestly thought I would die, if it didn't calm itself. As we came to the end, the tunnel veered to the left, down a spirl stair case. The walk alone could scare the life out of a man, but as a child I didn't understand, only followed blindly, a man I adored and wished to be.

Soon we reach a dimly lit room. On the walls there were painting of all the Malfoys before me. Taughting me, telling me I would never live up to them. As I took in the room around me my feet were suddenly taken out from under me. I hung dangling by my ankle, from the ceiling. My father's nose almost touching mine.

" There is only one house you may be in, in this family we are Slytherins. You must learn this. Even if the hat tells you that you are better suited somewhere else, you will be in Slytherin, or you will be hung right where you are for the rest of you miserable worthless life. Do I make myself very clear? " My father hissed at me.

I didn't understand then, but he was grooming me for something much bigger than anything I could understand then. I had no idea way it was so important, but I followed blindly out of fear. I submitted to that man's every will, as to just survive the next day of my life. Over time I came to admire his cruelty, thinking it was the way a man got what he wanted. The only way to truly be respected by those around and beneathe you. At least that is how I saw it then. Now I feel quite foolish, seeing things that way. My wife tells... Told me that I was just a boy, I couldn't have known any better. I still think she saw me in a way I will never see myself.

I very clearly remember the Harry Potter decided not to accept my alliance. It was the first anyone had told me no. The first time someone stared at me with contempt. I nearly threw a fit. Had Mcgonagall not walked out at the moment, I do not think I would had any diginty left when I was through, but alas the old bat stopped to in my tracks.

No one knows this, but I was terrified when I saw the sorting hat fir the first time. I still remember it's catchy little ditty it sang.

Oh, you may not thing I'm pretty,

But don't judge me on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep you bowles black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I am the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and Chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid or toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use and means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're safe in my hand ( though I have none )

For I'm a Thinking Cap!

To tell you the truth, when that rutty looking cap starting hollering, I nearly jumped out of my skin. I though for sure it would try to eat my ears as soon as I sat down. Alas it did not, though I am sure, everyone in The Great Hall would have got quite the kick out of it. I think when my name was finally called I was sweating. I knew my life depended on getting sorted into Slytherin, but Malfoy rule number 6, Malfoys do not show emotion other that digust, distaste, morbide joy at anothers humiliation and last of anger. I carried myself with poise and eloquence befitting a Malfoy. The overwhelming sense of pride when The Sorting Hat yelped Slytherin before even touching my head was indifinable. I had done something right for once. Maybe my father would be proud. Isn't that a laugh?

Well time went on and I just became more and more like him. I sneered like him, spoke like him, hell I even walked like him. A distinct swagger to my step, only a Malfoy could pull off. I truly thought I was above everyone and everything, there was only one hitch in my plan. Hermione Granger. The little muggle born wench kept scoring higher in all our classes than I did. Boy was I in a fury about it. I felt the need to make her pay for being smarter than me. My father always threw it in my face no matter how often I told him that I did everything I could, ever changed a few answers on her homework before Snape graded it. Alas she was always just one step ahead of me.

This seems like a good place to break off my wtory for the night. I wish to lay with my wife for a while before they take her away. To memorize the soft skin I so love. to memorize the face. Her hair, her lips that once saved my soul. I feel the need to say my last fare wells before they take her to lay her in the cold unforgiving ground to stay until I meet her there at my end. I shall finish my story another day.

Draco stood from his chair stretching his age wore back, and limping to the bed where his love lay. Her face, a mask of peace. Peace he had only seen in her. She had went in her sleep. He had woken to her just like this. turned toward him as if she had laid there watching him as she passed. He laid his body next to hers remembering her voice. Oh, how he wished she was there to tell him it would be all right. That he could do this without her, but alas she only lay there still as a statue.

" My love, how do I do this without you? How can I face a sunrise and think it beautiful, when for the last 60 years I have seen your face at every sunrise, and it has surpassed the beauty, in anything I see. How, my love, tell me how do I make it through this, when you are my reason to live? " Draco removed his glasses and wiped the tears from his silver eyes.

He laid there for only Merlin himself knew how long before he sent a patronus to St. Mungos to come and collect her. He watched as a flurry of activity happened all around him. Healers, Aurors and no friends. No one there to help him through this.

Before he knew it they were gone. Leavig not, but her indent on the bed to remind him she was gone. Draco sat and hung his head low, feeling the light fade from the world around him. He walked over and sat down in front of the book, picking up the quill he continued his story, her story. He had to. He couldn't wait until even the sent of her was gone, he didn't know if after that he would have the strength to do it.

After I started coming to terms with Hermione being better at almost everything than I would ever be I instead went to taunting her and calling her digusting things. Words that should never leave the mouth of a decent human being left my mouth, directed at her. To this day I wish to cut out my tongue and hand it to her in remorse for the pain I had caused her.

I hated her and her friends for everything they had that I did not. People who loved them. No matter what they did. They were truly loved and that is all I really wanted. Looking back now I know that, but then I just resented them for having something I wanted so badly, but soon none of that would matter.

The summer of my sixth year Tom Riddle gave me the task of killing Albus. I still still hold to the fact that when I couldn't do it, Albus looked proud of me. For a moment I could breathe, but it didn't last long. Really the memories of the war are very fuzzy. seeing them is like tryin to catch smoke in your hands. I was running all the time. Fighting for my life. Then Tom moved into my home and I say more torture than I care to tell you. I will spare you the details save of one account. The account of Hermione Granger. My beloved wife. She became my light the day she showed up at the manor. My angel. She became my everything that night.

The night Bella tortured her in fornt of me, and Hermione never truly broke. I had seen many people tortured, but when it was someone so close to me, something in me broke. Her pain filled face is ingrained in my memory forever. I wished deeply that I could have helped her. That somehow I could have stepped in, but I was a coward then. I could not have done anything for her same as I could not have done anything for myself.

When she got away I swore to myself that before everything was said and done I would prove to her that I would never allow anything to hurt her like that again. What a foolish boy I was then.

When the battle over Hogwarts began, and I stood in The Great Hall fall to pieces in front of me, everything became real. I chose then and there where my alliance fell, and it was not to my father and his sully group of Death Eaters. I ran looking for Hermione. I hd to protect her. I fould her all right.

Being backed into a corner by Bella, and I lost it. I stunned Bella as hard as I could, and ran to Hermione helping her up and checking her for wounds, she shoved me off of course. I could not blame her not then and not now.

When Harry pretended to be dead my parents tried to get me to go with them. I refused. That was when I knew we had to win or I would be in some serious trouble. Then, out of no where, Harry rolled out of Hagrids arms and all hell broke loose. I saw to many Death Eaters on him, and I do not and can not tell you what made me do it, but I just jumped into action. I stunned as many as I could while I was not shielding Harry from spells aimed to kill him. He looked at me as if I had grown an extra leg and head, but I continued. He yelled at me to help the others, he ahd to take on Tom by himself. So I ran throwing myself into a sea of fighting witches and wizards.

I was doing just fine until Bella came up on me out of no where, hitting me square in the chest with the Curciartus. I felt the pain erupt throughout my body and fell defenceless to the ground, my wand rolling away. I knew I was done for. Then suddenly it stopped, I looked up and there she was. Her hair whipping in the wind blood on her face, but stregth in her carmel eyes, handing my wand back to me.

" There, we are even. " Hermione shouted over the screaming.

" We aren't even close to even. I owe you more than I can ever repay. " I see myself shout back to her.

" Then you take my right and help me live through this and I will consider your debt paid in full. " She said.

I did exactly what she told me to. Never wavering from her side, we fought together as though we were meant to. Our movements in sync, our spells, flawless. Soon the Death Eaters were almost all stunned or dead, then we all saw it, a streak of black plummeting towards us, I grabbed Hermione and tucked her into my chest and rolled with her to get us out of the way.

" When did you grow some balls, Malfoy? " Hermione asked.

" The day you showed me what courage was. " I replied pulling her up with me.

We watched as Harry battled Tom, in the end defeating him for good. Soon aurors arrived to haul the Death Eaters to Azkaban. I was sitting on a broken beam when someone grabbed me roughly pulling me up and tossing me toward a group of aurors who looked ready to cut my head off on the spot. Suddenly I was tugged tightly into someones arms and pushed behind them. I felt arms around my waist. I looked doan and saw Hermione clinging to me like I was her air. I looked forward and saw Harry with his hands out in front of him warding off the aurors.

" NO! You can't take him! He saved my life, and Hermione's. Without him I would be dead right now. I take full responsiblity for him. I will keep him with me, until a trail date, but you can't take him now. " Harry all but screamed in their faces.

They backed down. Almost fearing what Harry might do it they tried to take me. I was awestruck. I did not know what just happened, but I knew I had to break Malfoy rule number 3 Malfoys do not for any reason grovel to no man woman or child. I fell to me knees and pleaded for their forgiveness, for they understanding. Before I knew it, I felt a dam inside me break and I started spilling every secret I had to them. Trying to make them understand. Tears were streaming doan my face, I bet I had snot coming out of my nose.

I waited for the taunts and insults I deserved when I was finished, but instead I got something I least expected. I looked up and no only were Hermione and Harry standing there, but the whole of the order were in front of me. Looking at me with compassion. Compassion... I did not even know what it was I did not know what they would do to me.

" Well... Now we know why he was such a prick. " George Weasley said.

" Oh! George! Must you reall be so rude. " Molly said.

She rushed forward enveloping me in a hug so tight I thought my head would pop off me shoulders. Soon I was being passed around shaking hands and being told I would be okay. They would make sure of it. Soon they all cleared off save for Hermione. I sat down taking in to devestation I had no doubt had a huge part in creating. Silent tears fell from my eyes. I felt like i had destroyed everything that seemed to keep me sane in this crazy life of mine.

" You know it will all be repaired? It will be like it never happened, one day. " Hermione said softly.

I wasn't sure when when had taken the seat next to me.

" I can not help, but feel like this is all my fault. " I said.

" Don't you dare take that on, Draco. Never take that blame on. You were a child brought up in this. On the wrong side. You were groomed to do this. I can not imagine, how that felt. " Hermione reach up and cupped my cheek. " Don't you dare take on the blame your parents so clearly carry. When it truly counted you fought for the right side. You chose the right side, Draco. You chose to do the right thing and against all odds, You and YOU alone, made the right choice. "

I feel for her in that moment. She didn't know it then, but I feel hard and fast after that. She soon taught me the value of hard work. We both stay at Hogwarts during the rebuilt. I think I worked so hard my hands bled. I cried more in that 5 months then I have in my entire life. I put my blood sweat and tears into rebuilding that castle. In the end I stood in The Great Hall, and to this day there is a brick you will find in the east upper corner closest to the Draconis Constillation that says " I, Draco Malfoy, Learned what it means to live, love, laugh, cry, say I am sorry and how to be a better man here, in this very room. " I still feel pride looking back on that day.

Hermione and I became closer as friends for a few years, but then it all changed one night, sitting under the stars. I turned to her and she leaned in to kiss me. I felt me heart explode and piece itself back together in that moment.

We were married in The Great Hall and then we had wonderful one child. You could say my life has been a rollercoaster, but here at the end of it all I feel like I have lived. Like I actually beat the odds against me. That I really did choose the right side that day. That is my story about Grace. My Daughter was named Grace. She looks just like her mother. I love her dearly.

That morning Draco Malfoy was found sitting in a chair quill in hand a small on his face. His daughter Grace read the journal and had it published along with severa of her parents photos.

Today if you walk to the far side of Hogwarts you will find two lone head stones.

One that says;

Hermione Malfoy

Lover, mother, friend.

To my beautiful bride

You were always my

SAVING GRACE

The other says

Draco Malfoy

Husband, Father, Friend.

To my Husband,

I made an honest man out of you,

but you.. You make a happy woman

out of ME.

That is the story of how Hermione made an honest man out of Draco. How through pain, hate, anger, you can always find a light. No matter how dark it is there is always a light. Never forget that. Draco didn't.


End file.
